National Book Foundation Launches Science + Literature Initiative

The National Book Foundation has announced the launch of its new Science + Literature initiative, which aims to explore the connection between science and the humanities. Supported by a three-year grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the initiative will identify three books annually that leverage literature to deepen readers' understanding of science and technology. Titles will be chosen by a committee of scientific and literary experts, and winning authors will receive a $10,000 prize. Celebrations will include a ceremony for honorees and committee members, as well as public conversations held in cities across the country that highlight the selected books. The inaugural committee and honored titles will be announced in winter and spring of 2022. 

“The Science + Literature program continues to leverage the Foundation’s unique position as a literary tastemaker and cultural commentator to help spark vital conversations with communities nationally,” said David Steinberger, chair of the National Book Foundation’s board of directors. “We are grateful to the Sloan Foundation to allow us to deepen our engagement with science and technology writers who help inform our relationship to the world around us.”